Chinese Chess Obsession
I began playing Chinese chess at the start of my secondary school life. I was hooked the moment I started. After the June holidays, my class, still in the holiday mood would take out their chess sets during recess and begin an intellectual war while I, with no experience was usually left out. I would join the more uncouth side of the class side for soccer. My good friend took pity on me and started my learning journey and taught me the rudiments of Chinese chess, sparking off my passion for the game.

Any spare time I had, I indulged myself in traditional warfare books so that I could be tactically prepared. I eventually began out-witting my father in the game (not like he was that good) but a win was still an achievement. I started climbing up the ranks of my class- from “recruit” to “sergeant” and began killing off a few people in my class. But there was the legion of “unbeatable generals” that could give you a run for your money. I learnt that no matter how good you are, there would always be someone who is better than you.

Each morning, before the teacher comes into class, I would be playing Chinese chess just to improve my skills but one day, that landed me into dire straits. The headmaster “happened” to stroll past and caught us red-handed. That resulted in a two-hour detention but that did not stop us. The both of us continued the war, mesmerized by the Chinese characters on the pale tablets laid out on the intricate grid board.

Slowly and little by little, my skills improved and finally, I gunned down one of the “generals” and was promoted to the legion. One thing I have learnt from this half year of playing chess is that if one has the passion for something and pursues it, the goal will always be within our reach.